The present invention relates to jewelry that adorns the ear, can be used as a pin, pendant, necklace or charm or a decorative item for use as an ornament for a Christmas tree or other decorative purpose. The common feature for these items in the prior art is a decorative element or several decorative elements attached to the earring, pin, pendant, necklace or ornament that is displayed in a single plane. This innovative design for a frame assembly allows the display of decorative elements in multiple planes and on multiple levels with a plurality of display configurations. The frame assembly invention allows significant swaying of the decorative elements as the wearer moves or the air circulates about an ornament. Additionally rotational movement of the decorative elements is described.
Stud earrings, charm bracelets, pendants, necklaces, pins and ornaments that have decorative elements hung therefrom have been around for many years. The stud element typically consists of a cylindrically (or some other geometric or non-geometric) shaped solid metallic piece and out of one end, through its center, extends a wire post which is placed through a pierced hole in the lobe of the wearer's ear. A spring type nut device that releases upon squeezing between a thumb and finger and mechanically engages the wire when released is added to secure the stud and earring assembly to the ear. Traditionally the decorative element may either attach to the cylinder or to the wire that extends out of the stud. When attached to the cylinder, the cylinder includes a loop which extends out therefrom and the decorative element includes a hook which engages the loop and thus allows the decorative element to dangle from the stud. When attached to the wire there usually extends from the decorative element a metal protrusion of any shape which has a hole through it oriented in such a way as to suspend the decorative element from the wire. For pins, necklaces and pendants the bottom of the structure includes means for attaching the decorative elements. Similarly for a link of a charm bracelet means for attaching the decorative elements are installed between two links and the decorative elements suspend from it. All of these devices permit a decorative device to be displayed in one plane only regardless of the fact that the decorative element may have depth to it and that there may be a plurality of decorative elements.
An innovative advance over the prior art is a removable or non-removable frame assembly for use in displaying the decorative elements. This frame assembly includes two legs or alternatively a multiplicity of legs. The legs can include matched or unmatched straight or curved wires with or without bends or angles or elongated rectangular or other geometric or non-geometric cross-sectioned solids. The orientation of the frame may extend downward, upward or horizontally. The frame assembly legs are soldered (or molded if plastic) together at the center of mass at the top of the frame. A single straight, curved or bent hanging element may extend through the center of gravity of the top of the frame and serve as two hanging frame elements. The frame elements may include means for allowing each decorative element to sway with the movement of the wearer or with air circulation. Soldered or molded together through the top of the frame and extending perpendicular to it is a wire with a loop or ring at the top (or simply it is connected to the wire) that connects the frame-assembly to the stud and wire which attaches to the ear of the wearer or attaches to connection a device for the pin, charm bracelet, necklace, pendant or ornament. The frame hanging elements may include mountings for gems or in the case of the solid cross-sectioned hanging elements, gems may be embedded in the outward facing surface of the solid elements. Due to the many possible combinations of dimensions of the decorative elements and the lengths of the legs and angles between them, the frame assembly permits displays of elements in multiple planes from the perspective of the viewer. Similar or dissimilar frame assemblies may also be stacked to provide pyramidal or cylindrical options for the decorative elements. Also anticipated is means for allowing rotation of the frame assembly by air movement or propulsion for same.